I started out just craving some tempura-style vegetables. But not the usual kind – I wanted to try it with chickpea flour, spiced it up a bit, and with bold dipping sauces on the side. I began digging around online, and within seconds realized: wait a minute, this is an actual thing. What I really wanted… was vegetable pakoras.

Pakoras are a beloved Indian dish made by coating vegetables in a spiced chickpea flour batter and deep-frying them until golden and crispy. You’ll find variations in other cuisines too, but the idea remains the same: crispy, flavorful veggie fritters that can be served as a snack, appetizer, or side dish. They’re great on their own, but even better when paired with a good dipping sauce, or two. In this recipe, I made two excellent dippings. The first, a zesty cilantro-mint yogurt dip, and the second is a soy-based one with sesame oil and ginger.

For the vegetable pakoras you can use all sorts of vegetables. I went with cauliflower, broccoli, red bell pepper, and zucchini. You can also use sweet potatoes, carrots, green beans, eggplant, onions (even scallions), and just about any firm vegetable . The key is to control how thinly you slice or cut them—since frying is the only cooking they’ll get. The thickness has to match the type of vegetable. Softer vegetables can be a bit chunkier, but denser ones should be sliced thinner or even parboiled to make sure they cook through.

The batter is made with chickpea flour, which means these pakoras are naturally gluten-free. I season the flour with toasted coriander and fennel seeds, turmeric, garlic powder, and chili flakes. Toasting and grinding the seeds adds extra aroma, but you can absolutely use pre-ground spices or a curry powder blend if that’s what you have on hand.

How to make the crispy chickpea flour vegetable pakoras?

To make the vegetable pakoras batter, combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl and gradually whisk in cold soda water. The soda helps create a light and airy texture around the vegetables. The batter should be thinner than typical pancake batter – smooth and pourable, but still thick enough to cling to the vegetables. Since chickpea flour absorbs liquid quickly, the batter tends to thicken as it sits—so don’t hesitate to add a splash more soda water as you go to keep it workable.

I recommend prepping all the vegetables in advance, cutting them into bite-sized or thin pieces depending on the type. When ready, dip them in the batter and coat them well. It’s best to fry one type of vegetable at a time – finish frying one batch before moving on to the next.

Heat a pot with enough oil for deep-frying. I use canola oil, but grapeseed or other neutral oils work well too. The oil temperature should be medium, around 160–170°C (320–340°F). If it’s too hot, the batter will brown too quickly before the veggies are done. If it’s too cool, the pakoras will absorb oil and won’t crisp up properly. I always recommend frying one test piece to help you adjust the heat.

Carefully place the battered vegetables in the hot oil and fry for 3–5 minutes until the coating is fully golden. Remove and drain on a paper towel lined plate.

Let’s talk dips!

Now, let’s talk dips—because a good pakora deserves a great dipping sauce. I made two:

Spicy cilantro-mint yogurt dip – In a blender or shaker cup, combine a handful of fresh cilantro, a green chili (adjust to your heat preference, I used half of a very spicy one), a clove or two of garlic, and a few fresh mint leaves. The mint adds a cooling freshness that really lifts the flavor. Add plain yogurt (dairy or plant-based), a pinch of salt, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Blend everything together until smooth and vibrant.

Soy-ginger dipping sauce – This one’s super simple: mix soy sauce, sesame oil, finely grated fresh ginger, a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, and a bit of brown sugar to balance the flavors. Stir well and you’re done.

Serve the vegetable pakoras immediately while they’re crispy. If you need to reheat them, a few minutes in a hot oven will do the trick.

Scroll down for the full recipe!

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Print Recipe

Crispy Chickpea Flour Vegetable Pakoras (Tempura-Style)

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time35

Course: Appetizer, Snack

serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 red bell pepper, sliced into ½–¾ inch (1.5–2 cm) strips
½ medium cauliflower, cut into small florets
2 zucchini, sliced into ⅛ inch (½ cm) rounds
½ head broccoli, cut into small florets
Oil for deep-frying (canola, grapeseed, or other neutral oil)

For the batter:

1½ cups (180 g) chickpea flour (besan)
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons fennel seeds
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
About 1½ cups (360 ml) cold soda water, plus more as needed

For the cilantro-mint yogurt dip:

1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro
¼ cup fresh mint leaves
1 –2 garlic cloves
½ green chili (adjust to taste)
200 ml (about ¾ cup + 1 tbsp) plain yogurt (dairy or plant-based)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt

For the soy-ginger dip:

3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions:

Prepare the vegetables: Cut all vegetables as described and set aside.
Toast and grind spices: In a dry skillet, toast coriander and fennel seeds for about 1 minute until fragrant. Remove and grind coarsely.
Make the batter: In a large bowl, mix the chickpea flour, spices, and salt. Gradually whisk in cold soda water until smooth and pourable—thinner than pancake batter but thick enough to coat the vegetables. Add more water as needed during prep.
Heat the oil: Fill a pot with oil (about 1½ inches/4 cm deep) and heat to 160–170°C (320–340°F). Test with one piece and adjust heat accordingly.
Fry the vegetables: Dip vegetables in the batter and fry in batches, one type at a time, for 3–5 minutes or until golden. Drain on paper towels.
Make the yogurt dip: Blend cilantro, mint, garlic, chili, yogurt, lemon juice, and salt until smooth.
Make the soy-ginger dip: Stir together soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, red pepper flakes, and sugar.
Serve: Enjoy immediately while hot and crispy. Reheat in a hot oven if needed

Notes:

You can use many different vegetables – just adjust thickness based on how dense they are.
Toasting whole spices adds bold flavor, but you can use ground versions or even curry powder instead. Just note the flavor will be milder.
To keep it gluten-free, double-check all packaged ingredients.

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